


Us Fragile Things

by richiegeck0s



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Dirty Talk, F/M, Multiple Orgasms, Oral Sex, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, alternative universe - no supernatural elements, eventual pregnancy, mature Billy, mentions of abuse, so many things to tag whoops, this is very smut heavy tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:14:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29056497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/richiegeck0s/pseuds/richiegeck0s
Summary: in which Valerie Martin and Billy Hargrove find each other for the first time in four years in a dive bar and realize the difference those four years can make.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	Us Fragile Things

**SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1989**

Leaning back against the brick wall of the outside of the bar, Valerie Martin watched her friend cup her hands around her eyes to stare into the dark bar that was their usual hangout. It was chilly for the first of September, and she shivered slightly, wishing she’d thought to bring a jacket.

“I think they’re closed, Char,” Valerie told her with a sigh, watching as Charlotte pulled on the door handle again for good measure.

“Yeah, I know,” she said, her purple painted lips pouting as she turned around to face Valerie. “I’ve just been thinking about a $1 margarita all day, and now I feel cheated.” 

Valerie huffed out a laugh as Charlotte walked away from the door with slumped shoulders.

“Do you want to try another bar, or did you just want to head straight to Amy’s? I’m fine with going home, doesn’t matter to me,” she told her roommate, imagining a quiet night to herself on the sofa at home. She’d spent more than half an hour on her hair and make up to go out, but she hardly hated the thought changing out of her heels and tights and into sweatpants.

“We’ll try somewhere else!” Charlotte was quick to say, already nodding as she looked each way down the sidewalk. “It’s our senior year, and we’re not breaking our tradition of first Friday shots just because Pinky’s is closed.” Her tone was firm, invoking the mention of tradition to keep Valerie from weaseling her way out of drinks. “Besides, this is the first year we’ve both been legal to do it, so it was supposed to be extra fun and public.”

Charlotte was like that, all about tradition and pomp and circumstance. They’d been a random pairing for roommates their freshman year of college and had barely spoken their first week until Charlotte pulled out a bottle of vodka and poured them each a healthy shot, declaring it a celebration of making it through their first week of classes. They became fast friends after that and decided to live together through the rest of their college years, becoming best friends in the process.

Valerie didn’t try to argue with her and mirrored her friend in looking up and down the street. Downtown was quieter tonight than she’d expected for a college town, “I’m pretty sure there’s a bar over on Dorsey. I’ve never been, so I’m not sure what it’s like, but I’m sure it’ll work for first Friday shots. Plus, it’s closer to Amy’s,” she said, nodding in the direction of the bar.

“Okay, yeah, that sounds good. I’ll hang around for a drink or two, then head to Amy’s,” Charlotte agreed, nodding as she linked her arm with Valerie’s to step away from Pinky’s.

As they walked, their heels clicked against the pavement, but they were silent otherwise, and Valerie’s mind wandered to how different things would be a year from now. In 365 days, she intended to be starting her first year of teaching, and Charlotte would be starting law school. Neither of them really knew where they’d end up after this year, and it scared Valerie a little more than she’d like to admit, not sure she was ready to be on her own for the first time.

The bar was well hidden between the other downtown shops that Valerie almost missed it, and as soon as she opened the door, she felt out of place. Pinky’s bordered on trendy and was usually full of college kids, but this place, who’s name Valerie couldn’t even remember, seemed hidden on purpose. It became clear quite quickly that she and Charlotte were the youngest people in the bar, which seemed to be filled with townies for the most part. Like an episode of  _ Cheers _ , it felt like the whole bar seemed to turn and look at them as they walked in.

Charlotte, never one to be bothered by standing out, spotted a table in the back and pulled Valerie along with her. Most of the patrons were male, a few of them turning their heads to watch as the two of them slipped past on their way to the table. The bar was heavy with smoke and buzzing with chatter and scattered laughs. When she sat down and looked around a little more, Valerie started to feel overdressed in her heavy v-neck sweater and tight corduroy skirt she wore over snagged tights.

“Are we still sticking to vodka, like always?” Charlotte asked, still standing in anticipation of going up to the bar. 

“Fine by me. Get a slice of lime too, and a PBR please,” Valerie said, making a mental note to pay her roommate back later, even if she wouldn’t take it. Charlotte nodded, smiling as she turned to go up to the bar in her tight jeans and equally tight neon blue tanktop.

Left alone for the moment, Valerie tapped her thumb against the wooden table top idly, glancing around again. This time she noticed a few people closer to their age and felt a little more at ease. There were a group of guys probably in their early to mid-twenties at the far end of the bar, and the shoulders and hair of one seemed weirdly familiar. Before she could take longer to try and place the familiarity, Charlotte returned, drinks in hand.

Valerie thanked her roommate quietly as the blonde put her requested items down in front of her before taking a seat across the table. She’d matched Valerie’s own order, smiling as she picked up her shot glass and opened her mouth.

“Time for the speech?” Valerie teased, cutting the girl off before she could even start. The comment earned her a gentle kick under the table, and they each laughed as Charlotte held the shot glass even higher.

“Of course it is, who do you think I am?” she responded, clearing her throat as he eyebrows knit together briefly. Valerie couldn’t help but roll her eyes, grinning as she too picked up her shot glass. “Three years ago, we barely knew each other, but we made it through our first week of college together. In those three years, I feel like we’ve earned the upgrade from Burnett’s to Grey Goose, and a lot has changed since then, obviously. I was in the closet, you were still a virgin.” It was Valerie’s turn to kick her under the table lightly at that, and Charlotte paused to laugh with her again. “But, here we are, our last official first Friday shots before we’re actual grown ups, and we’ve made it this far, together, and now we’ll take this shot, together, so cheers, I guess?” She ended her speech with a shrug and another quick laugh then clinking her glass against Valerie’s, and they both swallowed the shot in one go.

Grimacing as the vodka went down, Valerie reached for the lime in front of her to she sucked the juice from it to chase the liquor. Her face was twisted into a stupid expression, doing her best not to full body shudder from the shot, and she turned her said to the side, just as the familiar boy with strong shoulders and honey colored curls turned as well and looked right at her.

The shock of recognition hit Valerie hard, making her gasp and sending lime juice down the wrong pipe to make her choke. Her reaction was completely obvious and she still coughing as she turned back Charlotte who looked concerned. Her coughing caught the attention of one of the older townies at the bar who also turned to look at her before his attention returned to the beer bottle in front of him.

“Are you okay?” Charlotte asked, frowning slightly as Valerie opened her can of beer to take a drink once she was able to breath properly.

“Yeah,” Valerie croaked, clearing her throat and taking another sip of beer. God, her face was absolutely burning, and she could feel it all the way down her neck. “The guy at the bar, in the green shirt. I went to high school with him. I thought he looked familiar before I even saw his face, but it just surprised me that it was actually him, I guess.” Valerie couldn’t stop herself from sinking into her chair a little more, pushing her wavy, dark hair out of her face.

Charlotte’s eyebrows rose in interest and turned her head just enough to discreetly look in the direction that had sent her best friend into such a state of shock. “With the blonde hair?” she clarified and Valerie nodded. “Yeah, he’s still looking over here…and there he goes, his attention’s back on his friends for now.” Her shoulders relaxed slightly at that news and she took a long drink of beer as Charlotte finally opened hers. “He’s cute. What’s his name?”

“Billy Hargrove. And he knows he’s cute, trust me,” Valerie told her, scoffing quietly as her mind wandered back to Hawkins High School, over an hour away. She wished she could say she had forgotten all about Billy Hargrove, that he never crossed her mind, but that would certainly be a lie. He liked to creep into her thoughts late at night with those gorgeous eyes and his pouty mouth, making her wish she was bold and wild like he had always been.

“Yeah, I can tell just by looking at him,” Charlotte responded, unable to stop herself from laughing a little. She nudged Valerie under the table again, grinning as she sipped at her own beer. “Was he mean to you?”

“He was kind of the type that was mean to everyone, I guess, but he never like, targeted me or anything. He graduated a year ahead of me, so we only had one class together,” Valerie explained, remembering the lingering smell of smoke and his cologne that she’d gotten so used to during the semester they’d been lab partners in chemistry.

“Hm,” Charlotte responded, nodding as she mulled the words over. “You gonna just ignore him?”

“I planned on it, yeah,” she admitted, shrugging as she straightened her back some. 

“Good.” The word came with a wide smile from the blonde who knocked her beer can against Valerie’s with a soft metallic  _ clink _ . 

The two of them chatted comfortably for a while, nursing their beers as they felt the Grey Goose shots hit. Charlotte was her usual happy self, talking about what Jerry, the asshole in all of her economics courses, had said earlier while Valerie tried to forget about the blast from the past up at the bar. She was only half listening really, trying to remember the last time she’d even seen Billy Hargrove. His graduation, probably. She had heard he’d picked up a job at the Hawkins pool that summer and in turn, avoided that place like nobody’s business.

Just as she was tipping the PBR back to swallow the last of it, the bartender brought over another beer and sat it in front of her. 

“I didn’t order this,” Valerie was quick to say, practically leaning back from the can on the table.

“A guy at the bar sent it over, said he thinks he knows you,” the man told her with a shrug that said ‘I’m just doing my job.’ As the bartender stepped away, he took the empty shot glasses and beer cans with him, one of each stained with Charlotte’s purple lipstick and the rim of the others stained with the wine color of Valerie’s.

The man’s words made Charlotte let out a bark of laughter as soon as he stepped away, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth a second later as Valerie grimaced. “Damn, and I was just gonna get up to head to Amy’s,” Charlotte said, sounding truly disappointed that contact had been made right as she was about to leave. She sighed softly, glancing at the watch on her wrist. “I can stay if you want me to.” Her tone was almost hopeful and she was grinning in a way that said she herself wanted to stay to see how it all unfolded.

Valerie thought on it for a moment, pressing her lips together before shaking her head. “No, it’s alright, go see your girlfriend. I’ll probably head home soon anyway. Tell Amy I said hi,” she said, smiling as convincingly as she could manage. Charlotte pouted a bit but shrugged, getting to her feet and coming around to hug Valerie from the side.

“Okay,” she said, dragging the word out as an exaggerated whine then grinning wildly. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” Valerie nodded and matched her roommate’s smile as the girl took off.

With Charlotte gone, Valerie reached for the beer in front of her, opening it as she ran her tongue along her teeth and took a drink. She was doing her best to will herself not to turn around and look to see if Billy was still there, but the buzz of the shot and the first beer made it harder not to give into that urge. If she knew what was good for her, she would’ve left with Charlotte and walked home, pretending that she hadn’t seen or thought of Billy Hargrove at all. She didn’t want to know him anymore, didn’t want to know anything about Hawkins, Indiana, didn’t want to be or know the person she was when he’d last seen her.

Tipsy and stewing in the thoughts she usually buried until late at night when she was thinking about endless ‘what if’s, Valerie didn’t notice Billy walking toward her table until it was too late. He stood behind Charlotte’s empty chair, both hands on it like he was contemplating sitting down as he looked at her. Valerie blinked at him, just barely tilting her head up and hoping she didn’t look too wide-eyed. From his expression, she gathered he was still trying to place who she was.

“Thanks for the drink,” she said finally, raising her eyebrows once before taking a sip of the beer in her hand. He looked so good that she was surprised she hadn’t stumbled over the words. His hair was a little shorter than she remembered and he was, so far, lacking the passive scowl he’d always worn.

Billy scoffed, grinning with the slightest hint of a dimple. “Is that really all you’re gonna give me here?” he said, clearly dragging his tongue along the edge of his teeth. 

“You gonna sit down?” Valerie asked, straightening up in her seat in an effort to look more confident than she actually felt.

She watched as Billy’s jaw clenched briefly as he looked back toward his friends still at the bar, then pulled the chair out to sit down. Somehow, Valerie decided, this was worse. He seemed closer now, much more in her space, and she subconsciously tucked her feet under her chair as if accidentally nudging him would make him vanish into thin air. Billy was still looking at her and she swore she could hear the gears churning in his head. 

“I know that I know you,” he said, leaning forward in his seat with his elbows on the table. Valerie nodded once, the corners of her mouth aching with the urge to grin. “If I buy you another drink, will you give me a hint?” 

Damn, that was a smooth line.

“Get me the drink first,” she said, a smug smile sliding onto her face. Thank god for alcohol, honestly. As she took a long sip of the beer in her hand to finish it off, Valerie couldn’t help but feel powerful and mysterious as she set the empty can down on the table top.

Billy looked impressed, nodding once just as Valerie had earlier, and got to his feet. “You want another beer, or a shot of whatever it was you choked on earlier?” The question caught her off guard as he lingered at the table and she laughed, bringing a hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

“Vodka shot, with a lime wedge,” Valerie said, actually smiling a little this time. He didn’t say anything else before starting towards the bar, and Valerie let herself exhale. None of this felt real, and she found herself staring at Billy’s back as he stood at the bar, wondering if he’d disappear otherwise.

“If I’m being honest here, I never thought Val Martin would be one to shoot vodka,” he said when he returned, offering a wink as he sat the shot glass and lime down in front of her. Valerie’s head had shot up to meet his eye at the mention of the nickname, realizing he had been the last, and only person, to call her that. 

“Took you long enough,” she responded as Billy took his seat across from her again. He held her gaze, and smirked. “Let me guess, so many girls, so little time?” There was a teasing tone to her voice, enjoying the chance to potentially bring his ego down a bit. 

“Ouch, that was brutal,” Billy said, putting a hand on his heart as he leaned back in his chair a little. He’d gotten a shot for himself as well, a brown liquor, but she wasn’t sure exactly what. 

“What did you think my shot of choice was then?” Valerie asked, leaning into the table a little a she picked up her shot glass.

“Tequila. Jack, maybe,” he said, shrugging slightly as he grinned. He mirrored her action, picking up his shot all while maintaining eye contact with her. “Cheers to the angel who’s the only reason I graduated.”

Valerie couldn’t argue with that. With a tight smile, she brought her glass to clink against his, and they only looked away from each other to swallow down the shots. Her face pinched as she sucked on the lime a second later, opening her eyes again to find Billy watching her, just glad she hadn’t choked this time. 

With the empty glasses on the table, they were both silent for a moment, and knew that Billy hadn’t been exaggerating what he’d said. He’d told her the same thing after their chemistry final.

“I never thought I’d see you anywhere near Indiana again, dead or alive,” Valerie said to break the silence. Her buzz was growing, and she leaned to rest an elbow on the table, resting her chin in her palm as she looked at him. She was pretty sure he’d swore that exact thing to her at least twice before.

“I left for a while after high school, moved back to California for a couple of years,” he explained, hesitating just slightly and stopping there for a moment. “I just moved to town a couple of months ago. My sister’s just started college here, it was cheaper for us to move here together and get a place.”

“Max, right? I sat next to her at graduation,” Valerie said, but she knew she was right. She remembered how firmly he’d remind people that Max was his  _ step _ -sister, not his sister. People usually learned pretty quickly not to make that mistake again.

“You came to my graduation?” Billy asked, his eyebrows coming together in an expression she couldn’t quite read.

Valerie’s cheeks flushed slightly and she pursed her lips. “You weren’t the only one graduating, y’know. My brother, Ian, was in your class,” she informed him, leaning back in her seat as she crossed her arms over her chest. 

Billy nodded and was quiet for a moment. “Do you go here too?” he said finally, meeting her eye as he toyed with his empty shot glass idly.

The question surprised her. She’d never heard Billy Hargrove ask someone a question about themselves so casually like that. Thinking back, she wasn’t even sure he’d ever asked her anything about herself, period. 

“Yeah, I’m graduating with my education degree in May,” she told him, and the grin that spread across his face made her heart race inside her chest.

“You gonna be a chemistry teacher?” he asked, and Valerie couldn’t help the way she laughed girlishly as she shook her head.

“Social studies is my focus, so I can teach history, and geography. Stuff like that,” she explained, his gaze on her so intent that it took effort not to squirm in her seat.

“You’ll be a good teacher,” he said after a pause with such sincerity that 17 year old Valerie would’ve never thought he could muster. The compliment made her cheeks turn rosy and she smiled, feeling the same warmth in her chest as when he had thanked her for her help after their chemistry final. 

Valerie had forgotten how….entrancing it was to hold Billy Hargrove’s full attention like this. He’d always been so easily distracted by a passing pretty face or short skirt, always being greeted by passerbyers in the library when she’d helped him with his chemistry work that there had been a few times they’d had to meet in empty classrooms just to get him to focus. Being alone with him, it was easy to tell why he did so well for himself with the ladies. He had this way of making girls feel like they were the only person in the world, the only person he’d ever even seen. Even now, it was working like a charm, leaving Valerie willing to do backflips or cartwheels just to keep his attention like this.

“What about you, huh? What are you doing with your life now that you’re back in our fine Hoosier state?” Valerie asked after collecting herself a little, an easy smile on her face. She was toeing the line of drunkenness, waiting for that last shot to hit.

Billy grimaced at the mention of the state nickname, shaking his head. “Don’t ever fucking say that word around me again,” he said, his tone light as he cracked a grin. Valerie actually laughed, nodding in agreement before he continued. “I picked up a factory gig in Hawkins when we were living there, and absolutely fucking hated it. When we moved up here, I worked a few odd jobs, but I started a full time spot in the kitchen in that fancy hotel by the interstate a few weeks ago, mostly doing prep stuff.”

It was such a mundane conversation, but Valerie was practically hanging on every word he said. She was back to resting her chin in her hand, leaning into the table and smiling idly as she listened. Honestly, she wasn’t sure if she was just drunk or if this Billy was different somehow. She hasn’t seen him scowl once, hasn’t sense even a tinge of the ever present anger that had absolutely hung around him like a dark cloud in high school.

“How did Max do with her first week of classes?” Valerie asked, hearing her words just barely slur at the end.

Billy shrugged, sighing. “Fine, I guess. She’s mostly taking gen eds, and is already bitching about that writing course that all of the freshmen have to take.”

Valerie scrunched her nose up at the memory of that class, looking down at her empty shot glass as she fiddled with it nervously. “Yeah, that one fucking sucks. Let her know I’m happy to help if she wants me to proofread or anything for her.” She looked up and met Billy’s eye easily, knowing her face was flushed.

“I’ll tell her, and she’ll probably take you up on that. She’s still a little pissed at me for telling her to go to college in the first place,” he admitted, laughing once as he glanced toward the group he’d started the night with. 

“Do you need to get back to your friends?” Valerie asked, licking her lips quickly as she glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly midnight already, surprised by how long they spent sitting there and catching up.

“Nah, they’ll be alright. They’re guys I work with, still don’t know some of their names yet,” he said, shrugging one shoulder as he leaned back in his chair a little more. Valerie was having a hard time taking her eyes off him and she nodded, her toes curling inside her heels as he held her gaze.

“I’m surprised to find the former keg king of Hawkins hanging out at some townie bar like this when you could be chasing tail at a party closer to campus,” she told him, biting her lip.

Billy grinned and shifted in his seat again. “Believe it or not, that’s not really my scene anymore,” he said and had the audacity to wink at her.

Valerie’s eyebrows shot up, looking impressed as she nodded. “If I hadn’t seen it myself, I would never have believed it,” she responded, her hand coming up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “If I had a drink, I’d suggest a toast to personal growth, but obviously, I’m out and not in need of any more alcohol tonight.” She was smiling by the end of it, giggling slightly in a way that she’d hate herself for if she was sober. Billy laughed with her and the sound warmed her to the core. 

“I could say the same about you though, honestly. All dressed up and gorgeous to hang in this dive? Doesn’t sound much like the Val I remember,” he said, sucking his teeth as he looked her over once with that slow gaze that made her forget how to breathe. 

And there it was, the flirting, the cocky attitude, and the tone that had lured in so many girls in Hawkins. She’d been sucked right into it and was damn near helpless to stop it. It was like the thing about throwing frogs into boiling water and they jump out, but if you put them in the pot and gradually raise the temperature, they don’t realize the trap until it’s too late.

Had this all been a trap? Curiosity was already eating at her, wondering what had made him change like this. If he has actually changed at all. Calling Max his sister, speaking so freely about himself and asking personal questions about herself were far from things the Billy she remembered would do so willingly, let alone with a smile. Was this all a gimmick, and he was just telling her what she wanted to hear? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time he’d made that ploy work for himself. 

“Well, it didn’t seem like you remembered me at all, so what do you know?” she shot back with a crooked smile as soon as she remembered how to string together a sentence. Valerie was trying to sound playful but wasn’t sure it came across that way. Billy seemed surprised by the words, but that didn’t stop him from grinning. “I only ended up here because our usual bar was closed for some reason. I came out with my roommate earlier, but she took off for her girlfriend’s for the night.”

Billy nodded slowly, licking his lips before he leaned forward so his elbows were resting against the table top. Valerie’s drunken instinct told her to lean back, but she held her ground, keeping eye contact with him until his gaze dropped to her mouth.

“Small fucking world, huh? And you’ve got no boyfriend of your own to keep you occupied tonight?” he asked, his voice low like it was a secret to be shared between them.

Valerie let out a huff of laughter. “That’s an awfully bold question,” she said, trying to ignore the way her heart was pounding in her chest.

“Just trying to do my due diligence before asking if you wanna get out of here,” he responded, leaning forward even more as Valerie sucked in a breath and froze.

The sounds of the bar around them had faded out and she found herself fighting the urge to lean forward more, just as he had. She was practically hanging on every word that left that plush mouth of his, forgetting that it was her turn to say something. 

The laugh that bubbled from her surprised Valerie even, bringing a hand up to her mouth to cover the sound. “Are you serious?” she asked, grinning widely.

Billy frowned slightly, wondering if he was about to get shut down completely. “Yeah?” he responded with a slightly defensive edge to his voice.

“Thought that wasn’t your scene anymore,” she said, tilting her head up a little more in an effort to seem confident, like she wasn’t warm all over at the thought of him taking her home.

“Just because I don’t party much anymore doesn’t mean I’m not gonna jump at the chance to take you home and thank you properly for carrying my ass through high school chemistry.” His grin had returned, like a lion playing with its food.

Valerie’s back stiffened, realizing he was completely serious. Biting the inside of her cheek, she tried to think of a way to respond that wasn’t too eager, when really she was so close to bolting for the door and dragging him along with her.

When she didn’t respond right away, Billy leaned a little closer if it was even possible and met her eye with what seemed to be a more vulnerable softness. “Wanna know something?” he asked, and Valerie was nodding before he even finished the last word. “I knew who you were the second you walked in. Even looked over here a few times before you caught me. Didn’t know if you’d want to see me, and was curious to see how long you’d leave me hanging, trying to guess who you were.”

Valerie still hadn’t fully decided if she thought this was a game to him, if he was playing her and trying out new angles to work to pick up girls. But right then, with that, she didn’t even care. It didn’t matter to her if it was, just like it didn’t matter if he was still the same philandering, unattached asshole he’d been in high school. This could’ve been a trap for her from the get go and he could be gone in the morning never to be heard from again, but goddamn she wanted him. Swallowing thickly, she glanced at the door then looking back at Billy.

“My apartment’s only a couple of blocks from here,” she said, practically blurting it out like she couldn’t say it fast enough as she held his gaze. He nodded once and got to his feet, waiting for her to do the same before they headed to the exit. Billy waved to the group he’d been with, but otherwise didn’t say goodbye, too focused on relocating. 

It was colder outside than Valerie remembered, a shiver running through her when they stepped onto the sidewalk. She swayed a little on her feet, taking a deep breath of cool air and wishing she hadn’t worn heels. Billy kept close, hand finding the small of her back as she swayed.

“You good?” he asked, grinning when she blinked at him.

“Yeah, I’m okay, just haven’t stood up since I started drinking, that’s all,” she responded, tilting her head up a little more to look at him. He looked beautiful in the glow of the street lamps and she easily could’ve stood there for far too long, just looking at him.

“You wanna lead the way?” he questioned, reaching into his pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She shook her head when he offered her one, but started toward her place with Billy close on her heels. 

The cold air outside did little to cool Valerie down as they walked, her cheeks still rosy from the alcohol. Now that this was actually happening, she remembered that her room wasn’t entirely unpacked yet and most of the apartment was still a mess. She was wearing floral printed, cotton panties under her tights that were far from the sexy lingerie she would’ve liked to be wearing if Billy Hargrove was about to strip her naked. 

“Did you run out of things to say to me now that you’ve locked me down for the night?” Billy asked after a moment of walking in near silence. 

Valerie scoffed, shaking her head. “Not really,” she said, glancing up at him to see him take a drag from his cigarette. “Just busy regretting the choice to wear heels and ugly underwear tonight.” No point in hiding it, she supposed. 

The laugh he let out surprised her. It was loud and genuine, making a pair of girls walking on the opposite side of the street turn their heads to glance at them. Valerie laughed with him, hugging her arms around herself as she shivered again. 

“You cold?” he questioned, his arm sliding around her shoulders easily the second she nodded. Leaning into him was easy, happily leeching some of his warmth as they turned onto her street. He smelled different than she remembered and before she could remind herself that it was weird to remember how he smelled, she was saying it.

“Did you switch colognes?” she asked, looking up at her with a creased brow.

“Yeah,” he told her, chuckling softly and not elaborating further. “You seem nervous.”

“Do I?” Valerie responded, not bothering to try and deny it. He nodded simply, grinning.

“How much further?”

“At the end of the street. Why, you getting impatient?” she shot back, watching him flick the spend bud of his cigarette into the road. 

“Maybe. Should’ve kissed you earlier outside the bar, and I’m getting tired of of waiting,” he said, both of them stopping on the sidewalk.

“What stopped you earlier?” she asked, arms crossing over her chest again as she slid out from under the arm that was around her shoulders.

“The fact that you almost fell over the second we got outside,” Billy told her, still grinning as he watched her. 

“Okay, that’s fair,” she said, the first bit of laughter barely having the chance to leave her before his mouth was on hers.

It surprised her more than it should have, but she was quick to relax against him, bringing an arm up to settle around his shoulders. The kiss was softer than she would’ve expected from him and one hand cupped her jaw to keep her close. Billy sighed into her mouth softly, his tongue sliding along her bottom lip and leaving her to press closer to him. Valerie forgot that she was cold and forgot that they were in the middle of the sidewalk, too consumed by the relatively simple kiss and the way his arm had looped around her waist to keep her against him.

Valerie’s eyes stayed closed for a short second after he pulled away, only to press another shorter, almost chaste kiss to her lips before squeezing her around the waist and pulling back to slip his hand into hers. Somehow, that simple gesture, even if it was to just get her moving again, was the most surprising of the night so far. 

By the time they made it into the entry way of her building, away from the cold night, Billy’s patience had worn even thinner, pressing her up against the wall right inside the door. His mouth was on hers again before the door even shut behind them, his hand settling on the back of her neck as he kissed her firmly. It was easy to melt against him, gripping the fabric of his shirt in one hand as she hummed into the kiss. 

“We’ve got to get up to the third floor,” she managed to say, the words half muffled by his mouth. Billy made a sound of indifference, like he wouldn’t be opposed to fucking her right there, and that idea wouldn’t be completely wasted on Valerie aside from the fact that she didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot with her neighbors. His tongue slid along hers, making her knees weak as she leaned back into the wall for support.

He pulled back finally, licking his bottom lip and Valerie took the opportunity to slip away from him, taking his hand to pull him toward the stairs. They made it up a whole two flights before Billy was on her again, hands on her hips to pull her flush against him. His mouth found hers with such ease and intensity that the irritated noise she let out faded into a moan. Valerie realized as she tried to force herself to pull away, to get up that last set of stairs, that she’d never been kissed like this.

When she let her teeth catch on his bottom lip, she was rewarded with a moan from him and the sound vibrated through her, all the way to her fingertips. Valerie took the chance to pull away from him with a grin, sprinting up the steps as quickly as she dared to finally reach the door to her apartment. Fishing in the pocket of her skirt for her keys, she glanced over her shoulder to see Billy grinning widely as he followed right behind her. 

Her hands were shaking as she tried to fit the key into the lock only to be distracted further by the way he swept her hair to the side to press an openmouthed kiss to the back of her neck. Cursing under her breath, she nearly fumbled her keys as she pressed her ass back toward him, loving the way his hand slid along the curve of her waist.

“Oh, thank god,” she breathed, finally turning the key in the lock to push the door open. Turning, her arm looped around his neck and let him walk her back into the dark apartment. 

When the door clicked shut behind them, Billy really seemed to unleash, all hot desperate kisses and wandering hands. She arched against him when his fingers just barely swept under the hem of her sweater, already squeezing her thighs together in the hopes of alleviating the dull ache that had started there. Like he couldn’t feel enough of her, his hand slid down to squeeze her ass with a satisfied hum. 

Just as her lungs were burning from the lack of oxygen, his mouth left hers to settle on her throat, and she took a deep, shaking breath as she pressed herself against him more. The blunt edge of his teeth grazed over her pulsepoint to make her gasp as she tilted her head back further. 

“Where’s your room?” he asked, nosing at her jaw then pressing another firm, but gentler kiss to her mouth. She stayed there for a beat longer, enjoying the kiss before forcing herself to untangle from him.

Valerie kicked off her heels and Billy did the same with his boots, the slight height difference between them became larger. She took his hand and pulled him through the living room to reach her door. Eagerness and desperation outweighed her need to apologize for the place being such a mess, and behind the closed door of her bedroom, her confidence took off. 

Biting her lip, she put a hand on Billy’s chest to push him back against the door and it surprised her how willingly he moved. Tilting her head up, she kissed him firmly again, enjoying the way his hands immediately settled on her ass again. The kiss was short lived though, impatience getting the best of her when she leaned away just enough to pull her sweater off and toss it aside carelessly. 

“Holy shit, V,” he breathed, eyes adjusted well enough in the darkness to make out her topless form. The further abbreviation of her name made her grin as he brought a hand up to cup her through the material of her bra, his mouth already moving back to hers. 

Valerie felt like she was vibrating, absolutely buzzing as she leaned into him, moaning when he licked into her mouth. Her hands came down to start untucking his shirt eagerly, only getting halfway done with the task before moving onto work on his belt buckle. When Billy nipped at her bottom lip hard enough to hurt, she gasped into the kiss, the sound fading to a moan.

When she finally managed to get his belt buckle open, she worked on the fly of his jeans next with shaking hands, still letting him control the kiss as he leaned back against the door. After dragging the zipper down, her hand slid into his jeans to cup him through the fabric of his underwear. Even half hard like he was now, his size was impressive, making her whine in anticipation as her mouth left his. 

They blinked at each other for a short moment, breathing heavily to the point of panting in the dark room. In the glow of the street light flooding in through the window, Valerie could see her lipstick smudged along his mouth. Before he had the opportunity to pull her back to him, she sank to her knees in front of him, enjoying the pleased hum that he let out, fully aware of what she was doing. 

Billy watched her closely as she bit her kiss swollen lip, looking up at him as she tugged his jeans and briefs down enough to free his cock. His hand found the back of her head, fingers tangling in her dark hair to guide her forward where he wanted her. She moved easily for him, lips already parted to take the head of his cock between them as she glanced up at him again through her lashes. 

With the pair of them already so keyed up and eager, Valerie knew there was no point in teasing him. She took the rest of his length into her mouth and his hand tensed in her hair in a way that made her whine around him as she started to bob her head.

“Fucking hell, Val,” he muttered, watching as his dick disappeared between her lips and down her throat. “Been thinkin’ about this since chemistry. Used to watch you chew on your pen and pop your gum, drove me fuckin’ crazy.”

He knew exactly what she wanted to hear, spurring her on as he hit the back of her throat. She bobbed her head faster, letting her eyes close as he cursed above her again. Alternating between sucking and sliding her tongue along him, she shifted slightly on her knees, finding it hard to focus on what she was doing with the throbbing ache between her thighs. 

Her hand came up to his thigh, feeling the tension and restraint in him, and she squeezed him there, hoping to encourage him further. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she relaxed her jaw to take him down her throat a little more, not caring about getting a little sloppy with it at that point. Billy seemed to take her hint and rocked his hips sharply, using the hand in her hair to keep her in place for him. Heat prickled down her spine and her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, but the sounds of approval he let out were more than worth it.

He pulled out of her mouth a moment later and Valerie’s hand was quick to settle her hand around his length as she caught her breath. He somehow felt bigger in her hand than he had in her mouth, stroking him from base to tip, and leaning in again to flick her tongue over the head of his dick. If she didn’t feel so rushed and needy, she would’ve taken the time to appreciate his cock and his body properly, but that would have to wait. 

“Come up here, angel, fuck,” he told her, swallowing thickly as he untangled his hand from her hair. Her knees shook as she got to her feet and his hands were on her quickly, pulling her body flush up against his.

When he kissed her, Valerie gasped into his mouth, so eager for him that she would barely keep still. His cock was pinned between them, pressing against her stomach as he unfastened her bra with ease. It struck her that he was still fully dressed, and she was just about to start pulling at the fabric of his shirt when his thumb dragged over the hardened peak of her nipple to make her moan loudly.

“Go get on the bed, V, let me see you,,” he said, his tone so dark and commanding that a shiver ran through her. He kissed her again, hard and quick, then let her slip away.

Billy was close behind her, tugging his shirt off and not bothering to fix his pants as he closed in on her. She had settled on the edge of the bed and leaned back, watching him approach with a self-satisfied grin. Matching her expression, his hand came up to hold her jaw briefly as he kissed her hungrily, before ducking his head to suck her nipple into his mouth.

“Oh, fuck, Billy,” she whined, already arching toward him and squeezing her thighs together. He figured out pretty quickly what she was doing, and settled a knee between her legs, earning a sound of irritation out of her that he followed with a chuckle.

“You that needy for me, sweetheart? Can’t fucking wait for me to touch you?” he questioned, mouth barely off her breath as he glanced up at her. 

Not even giving her a chance to respond, he was leaning back again, both hands pushing under her skirt to tug down her tights and panties all in the same motion. He let the fabric drop to the floor, eyes sliding over her nearly naked frame with a slight smirk, like he couldn’t decide what he wanted next. Valerie realized she was nearly holding her breath, staring up at him and admiring the lines of his body.

His hand slid up the inside of her thigh, disappearing under her skirt again, and her legs parted further instinctively as she willed herself not to shake under his touch. When his fingers slid through her folds, Valerie cursed loudy, her head falling back against the mattress.    


“Val, baby, you are so fucking soaked, holy shit,” Billy said, his tone practically dripping with lust by then. She could only nod silently, her hips rocking to try and meet the teasing motion of his fingers. “All this just from sucking my cock, huh?”

“ _ Billy! _ ” she groaned out insistently through clenched teeth, hating that he wasn’t giving her what she wanted. Her reaction only made his smirk grow, purposely avoiding her clit as his two fingers teased her. 

“I’ve got you, don’t worry,” he told her, leaning over her enough that he could kiss her hungrily and swallowing the sound she let out when he sank two fingers into her. His hand settled on the mattress next to her head to support himself, curling his fingers inside her to see what other sounds he could get out of her.

Valerie’s arm slipped around him, her hand settling on the back of his head and letting her fingers tangle in his hair just as he’d done earlier. She was tight around his digits as they started to pump into her and he was fully entranced by the soft gasps and hums she kept loosing into his mouth. 

Billy trailed hot kisses down the column of her throat, sucking and nipping gently at her skin as her breathing quickened. Her nails sank into his scalp and he hissed against her at the feeling, loving the way she couldn’t seem to keep her hips still. When he pressed his thumb to her clit to rub firm circles against the bundle of nerves, Valerie did her best to keep from crying out, already desperate for a release of the pressure that was building in her.

“That feel good, Val?” he asked, his lips leaving the side of her breast after sucking a mark into her skin. She whimpered in response, nodding quickly as her other hand gripped the sheets. “Say it, angel, let me hear you.” The motion of his fingers fucking into her had sped up, curling to try and find the spot inside her that would get her to scream for him.

Valerie huffed out an incredulous breath, absolutely hating that he wouldn’t just give her what she wanted. If his mouth wasn’t already occupied with teasing at her nipple, he would’ve chuckled, loving that streak of bossiness, near brattiness in her. 

“Yeah, feels good, fuck,” she panted out, squirming as she tried to press herself closer to him in any ways she could. Her hand in his hair tightened enough to make him hiss as she dragged his mouth back up to hers. 

The kiss was filthy, all tongues and teeth as his fingers fucked into her. Her hand on the back of his head slid down to grip his shoulder, whining as his name as she clenched around him. She was so wet that she could hear it as he toyed with her, the friction of the heel of his palm against her clit making her eyes roll back. Billy fit a third finger into her, pulling back just enough to watch her expression change. 

“You gonna cum for me, baby girl? You want it so bad, don’t you?” he murmured to her, the words just barely audible over the sounds of their heavy breathing. 

Nodding frantically, Valerie cursed, still trying to roll her hips against his hand. “Billy, please,” she whimpered, unsure what she was even pleading for by then. Her mind was clouded with lust, unable to think of anything beyond her desperation for him.

“Go ahead, V, cum all over my hand, show me how bad you want my cock,” he told her, his mouth attaching to her pulse point. Her arm tightened around his shoulders, nails sinking into his skin as she gave into her desperation. 

Valerie came with another loud whine of his name, bucking against his hand for whatever friction he could get. He had pulled back to watch her and was murmuring praises to her that she could barely hear over the roaring of her heartbeat in her ears, her body tense as pleasure coursed through her. Billy’s fingers never stopped, pushing into her roughly, hungrily to see how long he could drag her orgasm out for.

God, she was stunning with the way her eyes changed as she came, the way she arched against him for as much contact as she could get. Billy was absolutely hooked, his eyes moving over her face as she came down and leaning to press light kisses to her jaw and mouth. His fingers were still pumping into her, albeit slowly, loving how drenched she was for him. 

Valerie had all but melted into the mattress, her eyes closed as she tried to catch her breath, only faintly aware of Billy’s warmth above her. Her hips twitched toward his hand slightly, a quiet gasp leaving her as he continued to tease her. His fingers left her a second later as he shifted, leaning into her a little more as he kissed her.

In their new position, his dick was pressed against her stomach again, making her whine in anticipation. He smirked against her mouth, loving how reactive she was to him then he pulled back to get to his feet to shed his pants.

“You got condoms, angel?” he asked, kicking his jeans and underwear aside as he watched her.

Valerie shook her head, slipping out of her skirt finally to be just as naked as Billy was. “Just moved in, haven’t gotten any yet,” she said, pressing her thighs together as she waited for him. “I’m on the pill though, you can just pull out if you want.”

Nodding, Billy nudged her legs open with a smirk before settling over her again. With one hand beside her head to support himself over her, the other came down to guide her knee over his hip. His mouth crashed hard against hers with renewed desperation when the head of his cock slid through her folds, making them both groan. 

“Fuck, you’re so goddamn sexy, Val,” he murmured into her mouth, letting his teeth catch on her bottom lip. Her hips canted up toward him eagerly as she let out another needy sound.

“Stop making me wait,” she groaned out, and he chuckled at the irritation in her tone, letting the head of his cock tease at her entrance.

“Oughta make you beg for it, sweetheart, see how long that brattiness lasts when you’re desperate for me like this,” he mused, loving the way her eyes flashed with panic at the thought. He was kidding himself if he thought he could wait any longer to be buried inside her, and without waiting for a retort from her, he finally pushed into her all at once.

The tight slide of his cock filling her made Valerie gasp, her arm immediately looping around his shoulders again as her hips angled up toward him, already wanting him deeper. In the low light of the room, he could tell that her pupils were blown and his surely were too, transfixed by how she felt around him. She could feel him through every inch of her, just enough to take the edge off her desperation as she practically purred for him. His hand was still holding her under the knee, forcing her leg a little higher and squeezing her there as he let his hips grind against her.

“Shit, that’s good, baby,” he breathed, pulling back each enough that he nearly slipped out and fucking back into her. The motion earned a loud moan from Valerie, whose hand moved to twist in his curls again. His mouth found her throat again, nipping at her skin before his tongue soothed over the spot as he set a hungry pace. 

“God, Billy,” she sighed out, her tone so sweet and needy that he could’ve came right there on the spot. Valerie used the hand in his hair to guide his mouth back up to hers to kiss him desperately, letting her heel dig into the small of his back for leverage to rock against him.

His forehead pressed against hers as he caught his breath, eyes dropping slightly to watch his cock sink into her as her breasts bounced with the motion of his thrusts. Valerie’s jaw was clenched, trying to hold back the slew of whines and curses that threatened to leave her, but the second he met her eye again, that all went out the window.

“Touch yourself for me, Val, rub your clit,” he told her, his voice rough with restraint. He knew he wasn’t going to last as long for her as he’d like, but he’d be damned if he didn’t get to feel her cum around his dick. In a truly perfect world, he’d have the patience to make her cum half a dozen times before even fucking her, but desperation quickly took over. 

Valerie did as she was told for once, slipping a hand between them to rub firm circles against the swollen bundle of nerves. The added stimulation made her clench around him and his hips slammed hard into hers. She was absolutely soaked, desperate for whatever else he could give her as she chased another orgasm.

He leaned away from her slightly, hovering over her to fuck into her at a different angle that made her eyes roll back. The head of his cock dragged over her g-spot with each thrust, making her toes curl as her hand continued to rub her clit. With her dark hair fanned out around her and that hazy, blissed out look in her eye, Billy wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anything so stunning.

“You gonna be a good girl and cum for me again?” he asked, bringing his free hand up to cup her breast. His thumb grazed over the hard peak of her nipple and couldn’t help but smirk at the way she trembled beneath him as she nodded. Billy’s eyes dropped to her mouth quickly and was leaning in to kiss her again before could stop himself.

Valerie came apart quickly after that, dragging her nails over his shoulder as she moaned into his mouth, practically clinging to him as if she’d float away otherwise. His brow was set in a tense line as he fucked her through her orgasm, trying to hold back his own for just a little longer. When she tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth, he swore loudly and pulled out, forehead pressing against hers as he spilled hot onto her stomach with a groan. 

“Fucking hell,” he breathed, letting his lips drag along her jaw as they both panted heavily. Valerie nodded in agreement, her eyes closed as she dropped her head back against the bed. Her arm was still around his neck, fingers lightly moving over his shoulder as she waited her her body to stop buzzing. 

She was still shaking slightly when he kissed her, taking his time and her fingers moved up to his hair again to keep him there. This was nice, she decided. She hadn’t expected him to kiss her like this  _ after _ , but she certainly wouldn’t complain about it. 

Billy’s thumb brushed along her cheek softly and pulled back, their eyes meeting for a moment in the dark. His gaze briefly dropped to her mouth when she licked her lips, then pushed off of her to get to his feet. 

“You got a towel or something?” he asked, moving around in the dark to look for his pants.

“What?” she responded, her mind still foggy to the point that she hadn’t comprehended a word he’d said.

“A towel, d’you have one handy? Figured I ought to at least be a gentleman and wipe my cum off your stomach,” he said, glancing looking around as best as he could in the hopes of answering his own question.

“Oh,” Valerie laughed softly, happily admiring his frame as he stepped into his briefs. “Yeah, on the chair at my desk.” She tucked an arm behind her head comfortably, drawing a knee up to rest on foot flat against the mattress. 

Billy returned with the towel, eyes flickering to her tits as he wiped up the mess he’d left on her stomach. She thanked him softly, biting her lip as she continued to watch him, not sure what to do or say at that point. Part of her had expected him to get dressed and leave without a word the second he’d pulled away, so this was all unexpected.

“Mind if I smoke?” he asked, picking up his jeans and fishing in the pockets already. Another surprise.

“Just crack the window, do it over there,” she told him, shifting to sit up more and leaning back on her hands. He scoffed softly like he was annoyed by her response, but she caught a glimpse of a grin as he turned toward the window.

When Valerie got to her feet, her knees were still shaking slightly, and she was still throbbing and slick between her thighs as she slipped on the short silk robe hung on the back of her door. Holding it closed around himself, she followed him toward the window where he had cracked it like she said. He watched her as she moved toward him, lighting the cigarette between his lips.

The street light outside her window cast a yellow glow over them as she mirrored his position, facing him as she leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the window. Their eyes met and held, both trying to get a read on the other. He looked damn near godlike in the low light, even with his hair a mess from her hands. Valerie doubted she looked even better, and she found herself chewing on the inside her of cheek before looking out the window.

“You want me to stick around?” Billy said after a minute.

Her eyebrow raised as she looked back to him, taken aback by the question. Was this part of his game, trying to gauge how clingy she was or something? 

“Up to you, I guess,” she said, holding her hand out for the cigarette. That seemed to surprise him, his eyes dropping to her outstretched hand. He actually rolled his eyes, taking another drag before handing it to her.

Valerie watched him through her lashes as she lifted the cigarette to her lips, unable to read him. Her lungs burned but she managed not to cough, considering she hadn’t smoked a cigarette in years. The corner of his mouth twitched up into a grin briefly and turned his head to look out the window.

“I’ve got work at 8:30, so I’ll have to slip out early,” Billy told her after another pause, watching her take another drag from the cigarette and extending his hand to take it back.

“That’s fine,” she said, matching his cool tone and just barely letting herself smile. Her fingers brushed against his as she passed the cigarette back then she crossed her arms over her chest, shivering as a cool burst of air came through the opened window. She looked out the window again, simply to have something to look at other than him.

The interaction felt so casual, as if he hadn’t just given her the best orgasms of her life. Neither of them seemed to be able to figure the other out, when they’d been so in synch five minutes ago. Billy didn’t seem like nearly as much of an asshole now, didn’t seem like he was ready to hightail out of her place the second she was asleep. He easily could’ve left already, but he was still here and she didn’t know why he would feel the need to lie about staying, only to skip out anyway, if that was his angle. She’d seen him play plenty of girls in Hawkins though, fucking them thoroughly, then moving onto the next girl at the next party, so Valerie wasn’t even sure how much to trust him in all of this.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, taking a final puff of the cigarette before flicking the spent end out the window and closing it. 

“You,” she responded, faster than she’d meant to. He actually smirked, making her roll her eyes and continuing. “You seem really different.”

Billy scoffed, tilting his head just slightly. “That a bad thing?” Valerie shook her head in response, making that barely there smile reappear on his face. “You got a preference on which side of the bed you take?”

“I sleep better on the right side,” she told him, stepping away from the wall.

**SEPTEMBER 2, 1989**

Waking up alone the next morning, Billy even being there at all felt like a dream. She didn’t know what time he’d left, but she’d woken up close to dawn to feel his arm around her and his leg tangled with hers.

Valerie stayed in bed for a while, replaying the night in her head with a sleepy, satisfied smile. Part of her wished she’d given him her number, but at least now she wouldn’t spend god knows how long waiting by the phone, hoping he’d call. She felt good, proud of herself even. 

When she got up, she noticed the piece of paper on her nightstand.

_ “It was good to see you. Call me. 923-0427” _


End file.
